Spatial assessment of data gaps for estimating biomass across the brazilian Amazon

• Ano de defesa: 2017
• Autor(a) principal: Graciela Tejada Pinell
• Orientador(a): Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto, Eric Bastos Görgens
• Banca de defesa: Thelma Krug, Luiz Carlos Estraviz Rodriguez, Marcos Longo
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
• Programa de Pós-Graduação: Programa de Pós-Graduação do INPE em Ciência do Sistema Terrestre
• País: BR
• Link de acesso: http://urlib.net/sid.inpe.br/mtc-m21b/2017/06.16.22.29

Amazon forest provides fundamental ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, water cycling and carbon sequestration. Given the large extent of Brazilian forests, 75% of the Amazon Basin, there is great uncertainty in the storage of aboveground biomass (AGB) carbon stocks. There is a significant difference between AGB estimates and an urgent need to improve AGB estimates to support the National Communications (NC) of Brazil to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+). Whether for NC, REDD+ or for the carbon emissions modeling, stakeholders, policy makers and scientists have to decide which AGB product, dataset or combination of data to use, according to its availability, scale and coverage. The purpose of this study was to assess forest AGB spatial data gaps across the Brazilian Amazon. To achieve this goal, we conducted an extensive review and analysis of the AGB datasets coverage. AGB stakeholders connections were made through a social network analysis. Also, AGB maps variability within different environmental factors maps (soil, vegetation, topography and climate) were analyzed. Using difference and statistical analyses of AGB maps and, through a spatial multicriteria evaluation, we obtained a forest AGB spatial data gaps map for the Brazilian Amazon. The spatial coverage of AGB field and airborne LiDAR data shows great areas without AGB data and, even though stakeholders have connections, few datasets are available. By quantifying AGB maps and field data variability within multiple environmental factors, we provide valuable elements for understanding the current AGB data in function of climate, soils, vegetation and geomorphology. The main differences between AGB maps are found next to the rivers (mainly the Amazon River), in Amapá, northeast of Pará and central and north Amazon States, these areas coincide with areas of higher AGB. The forest AGB spatial data gaps map, which refers to places with no field or LiDAR data and where AGB maps differ the most, show the priority areas for further AGB assessments in the Brazilian Amazon. This study can be a useful tool for policy makers and different stakeholders working on AGB on which to base their decisions to choose AGB data or products for National Communications, REDD+, or carbon emissions modeling.